


Goodbye Leia

by BaronVonChop



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Grief/Mourning, Hospitals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 07:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9167872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BaronVonChop/pseuds/BaronVonChop
Summary: A story about saying goodbye.





	

Poe Dameron rushed to the medical wing of the Resistance base the moment he heard that General Leia had collapsed. A nurse told him that the doctors were still with her, and he would have to wait outside. Poe sat and leaned his head back against the wall. The same thought kept going through his mind: it seemed unbelievable that a woman liked General Leia Organa, someone who had faced the likes of Darth Vader and Jabba the Hutt, could be brought down by something as ordinary as a heart ailment.

Poe hated feeling like there was nothing he could do. It was like being on a mission, when one of his pilots was in danger, but he was too far away to help. All he could do was wait, and hope.

At some point, the old medical droid 2-1B arrived in the operating room. Nobody was sure where the droid had come from. It had been in storage for years, ever since its model had been retired, so replacement parts were no longer available. If something wore out or broke on the droid, it would have to be scrapped. Yet there it was, seemingly unbidden, working with the other doctors to save Leia’s life.

Finn joined Poe outside the operating room. Finn instinctively knew to sit in silence. His presence comforted Poe more than words could have.

When the doctors finished doing all they could, they allowed one person at a time in to see her. Poe stood and entered the room. There was something frightening about the bed, with the machines surrounding it and the small, still figure lying on it. Poe felt that it was all beneath Leia somehow, as though such mundane things should not affect the general.

He sat in a chair by the bed. Without knowing if she could hear him or not, he spoke to her in a soft voice. “Reporting for duty, General.” He told her about what it was like growing up as the son of two Rebel heroes, hearing stories about Leia and her friends. He had grown up idolizing Luke Skywalker for his piloting skills, but it was Leia he looked to as a model of dedication and resolve. When he had finally met her in person, it had been the greatest honor of his life to fly missions for her and her cause.

When exhaustion and fear finally caught up to Poe, Finn took his place at Leia’s side so that Poe could get some rest. Sitting with Leia in the quiet room, he did not know how to begin, but he knew that he wanted to say something. “Hi, Your Highness… General… Ma’am.” He made a face, took a deep breath, and started again. He told Leia about how the members of the Resistance spoke of her when she was not around. Finn knew that, had she been conscious, Leia would have asked him to stop, equal parts humble and annoyed. Still, he thought it was important that she know about the mix of reverence and affection the Resistance had for their general, and the tones of love and awe with which they discussed her.

 

Luke, Rey, Chewbacca, and R2-D2 arrived from Ahch-To, where Luke had been training Rey. Luke ran to his sister’s side, with Rey, Chewie, and Artoo not far behind. Luke held Leia’s hand, gazing at her face while reminding her that she was always a fighter.

Luke had taught Rey some Jedi healing techniques, and he suggested that they should try them with Leia. Rey worried that it felt presumptuous to use such a dire situation as a learning opportunity, but Luke assured her that the Force could only help Leia. Besides, he reminded Rey, Leia was strong with the Force herself. There was a chance that she might be able to help them.

After Rey and Luke meditated over Leia for several hours, Finn came in to remind them to get some rest. Rey could not sense any difference in Leia, but she felt better for trying.

When Chewbacca’s turn came, he hesitated to enter the room. Hospitals always made him edgy, as they seemed too clinical and impersonal to the Wookiee. He wanted to speak to Leia, though, even if she could not hear him. He had never gotten to say goodbye to Han, and while the thought of losing Leia froze his heart, he could not bear to go through that again with Leia.

Finn saw Chewie pacing up and down the corridor, muttering to himself. Finn guessed Chewie’s dilemma and walked up to him, laying a soothing hand on the tall Wookiee’s arm. He took Chewie by the hand and, when he felt Chewie relax, led him slowly into the room. For a while, Chewie stood at Leia’s bedside, looking down at her. The mighty Wookiee leaned on Finn for support without realizing it, as silent tears rolled down his furry face. Then, when he could not stand it any longer, he leaned down and started brushing stray strands of hair from her face, adjusting her hospital gown, tucking and untucking her blanket. He forgot about the machines and the antiseptic room and saw only a person he cared deeply about. While he worked, he spoke to her under his breath, murmuring in Shyriiwook words of comfort and love.

Nobody knew quite how droids dealt with emotions, but R2-D2 sought out C-3PO on the base. The two droids sat together for hours, while Threepio told Artoo endless stories about Leia. Even though Artoo had been there for most of them, he allowed Threepio to talk, occasionally giving a sympathetic chirp or mournful tone.

The hours stretched on, and Poe, Finn, Rey, Luke, and Chewbacca continued to take turns sitting with Leia.

 

More than anything else, Leia felt tired. She could not remember where she was or what had tired her out. She just wanted to rest, to sleep for a long time, and so her mind wandered. There were times when she was dimly aware of someone else in the room, and though she could usually not tell who it was, she thought she could sense their love.

Briefly, she thought she could sense the presences of Luke and Rey, and part of her knew that they were reaching out to her through the Force. They seemed so worried about something that she wanted to respond and comfort them, and she thought she might be able to, if she only rested some more first.

She opened her eyes and saw a familiar figure sitting beside her bed. “Hey, sweetheart,” Han said. Leia gave him a sleepy smile. She felt like there was something she was forgetting, something about Han. Perhaps she had wanted to tell him something. Whatever it was, it would come back to her.

Han leaned forward. “You look beautiful,” he murmured. She scowled at him, sure he was lying. “I really think so,” Han said quickly. “I always did. I should have told you that more often.” Leia chuckled at that, though it came out so quiet that even she could not hear it.

For a while, Han sat and looked at her. A mixture of expressions crossed his face: tenderness, concern, longing, and, above all, love. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet. “I think they’ll do okay, these kids. All they have to do is follow your example.” He shook his head and added, “There may even be hope for Ben, though I think it will take some time for him to come around. Well, we’ve done what we could.”

Leia could almost recall what it was she had been trying to remember. She felt sure that there was something she should tell Han, something very important. She opened her mouth to speak, but could not make a sound.

Han’s face creased with concern. “Hey, you don’t have to say anything,” he said. “I know, remember?”

He reached for her hand.

 

Poe, Finn, Rey, Luke, Chewbacca, Artoo, and Threepio sat together while a doctor told them the news. For a while, none of them spoke. Rey leaned her head on Finn’s shoulder, and he took her hand in his. He put his other arm around Poe, drawing him closer.

Luke drew a deep breath. “She is one with the Force now,” he said, his voice soft. Rey looked at him, tears gathering in her eyelashes. “I still miss her, though,” Luke added.

Poe’s voice was hollow. “What will we do without her?”

Luke nodded, acknowledging that it was a valid question without venturing a response.

Finn turned to look at Poe. He waited for Poe to make eye contact before saying, “We will keep going, as she would have wanted us to. We will keep fighting the First Order, and we will protect the galaxy.”

Poe nodded, grateful. “That’s right. That’s exactly what we’ll do.”

Luke stood. He did not need the Force to know who needed him the most. He stepped over to Chewbacca and opened his arms to embrace him. For a second, Chewie pulled away, as though fearing that accepting the hug would make Leia’s death that much more real. Then he gave a great sob and wrapped his arms around Luke, holding him close while tears dropped from his eyes to fall on Luke’s cloak.

 

There were several funerals for Leia. The largest colony of Alderaanian survivors held a traditional funeral for their last princess, and other Alderaanians travelled from all over the galaxy to attend. The colony’s leaders spoke of how Leia had helped the Alderaanian people come together and rebuild after the unthinkable loss of their planet.

The New Republic held a state-sponsored funeral for the former senator, full of pomp and ceremony and broadcast throughout the galaxy. They lauded her actions against the Empire, recalling first her outspoken work in the Senate and later her leadership of the Rebellion. They glossed over more recent events, as her involvement in the Resistance, the rise of the First Order, and the destruction of the Republic’s capital on Hosnian Prime were still considered divisive topics.

The Resistance held a much more somber funeral on D’Qar, attended by soldiers and base personnel wearing their uniforms and work clothes. Admiral Statura reminded those present that Leia had spent her entire adult life opposing tyranny, and urged them to continue the fight just as she would have.

The final small gathering was for those who had known Leia best. Luke, Chewie, Artoo, Threepio, Poe, Rey, and Finn ate dinner together, telling stories and reminiscing. Some of the stories were touching, but they were just as likely to be exciting or funny. All of those present laughed and cried through the evening, sometimes at the same time. At various points through the night, the same thought struck them all: as long as they remembered her, a part of Leia would always be with them.

**Author's Note:**

> RIP Carrie Fisher. To us, you're royalty.


End file.
